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Thursday, November 19, 2015

PIA Caraga supports storytelling to children in
celebration of the 2015 National Children’s Month

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 19 (PIA) – In line with this
year’s National Children’s Month celebration, the Philippine Information Agency
(PIA) Caraga supports various activities in the Day Care centers which include
telling of stories (storytelling) to children.

According to PIA Caraga regional director Abner
Caga, children love to hear stories and are fast-learners. Building strong
adult-child relationships in order to nurture attachment is a primary goal for
infant-toddler caregivers.

“One of the best ways that we can increase
attachment as well as language and literacy learning is by reading books aloud
to young children and telling them stories. By doing that, our children are
able to enhance their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills,”
emphasized Caga.

Caga also expressed his warm thanks to day care
worker Fe Labitad of GAD Learning and Resource Day Care Center for inviting him
as one of the honored guest speakers and inspire the children during the
preschoolers’ library time on November 20, 2015 at the City Library here.

Said activity will feature exploration, exposure,
experience and discovery as a way of learning, enabling them to develop confidence,
creativity, literacy, art and critical thinking.

Meanwhile, Labitad bared that the City Social
Welfare and Development (CSWD) is spearheading the conduct of various creative
activities like day camp, literary musical contest and outdoor activities that
promote and develop children’s social, emotional, language, physical and
cognitive. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

NRCO-DOLE Caraga distributes cookery starter kits
to beneficiaries

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 19 (PIA) – The National
Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) with the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) Caraga recently distributed cookery starter kits to some 12
distressed women Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for the fourth quarter of
2015 held at the DOLE Caraga multi-purpose hall, this city.

Nancy Jacinto, labor and employment officer of
NRCO Caraga bared that the cookery starter kits is a way of livelihood
assistance to the 12 beneficiaries under the ‘Balik Pinay, Balik Hanapbuhay’
Program of the agency.

“The cookery starter kits are worth P10,000.00 for
each beneficiary which include their training on how to cook eight different
recipes – from baked food, cakes, and frosting, among others. The said starter
kits comprised the following: one kilo salt; one pack of dry yeast; one single
burner stove with regulator and hose; one gasolito; one sack of all-purpose
flour; one electric hand mixer; one baking tin; one kilo white sugar; and
one-half kilo of lard or shortening,” disclosed Jacinto.

Feluzviminda Tersona, one of the beneficiaries
from this city remarked that the NRCO-DOLE has helped her cope with life
together with her family after her contract in Oman, Middle East was
preterminated due to reported conflict in the area.

“The cookery skills training which we recently
participated is of great help to us. It is an adding knowledge that also gave
us hope that we can still start our livelihood here and move on. I will do
everything for my family and with this starter kits that the NRCO-DOLE has
granted me will help me from making the cooking/baking easier,” expressed
Tersona.

The Balik Pinay! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program was
duly created in 2011 to enable women OFW returnees to start and to operate
livelihood undertaking for self-employment. The Program consists of a
livelihood skills training and the distribution of the starter kits. In 2013,
through the Administrative Order 333, the Program was expanded to include women
OFWs in the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Resource Centers (MWOFRC) in
POLOs. In four years, the Program has reached more than 4,000 beneficiaries who
have established their own business or used the gained skills for employment.

The eligible beneficiaries of the Program are
returning women OFWs while priority is given to women OFWs who are displaced by
the hostilities and conflicts in their host country, or victims of illegal
recruitment and trafficking and other distressed and displaced women household
service workers. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 19 (PIA) – “Focus on the good
news. In Lanao del Norte, our information officers are very strong in promoting
national activities… If people are not afraid of going in Lanao del Norte, then
they shouldn’t be scared because they will miss economic opportunities wherein
it’s a first come first serve.. and it is only for those who are not scared to
come and invest.”

This was the statement stressed by Lanao del Norte
Governor Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo during the recently concluded 13th Mindanao
Communicators Network (MindaComNet) Congress held in Cagayan de Oro City.

“The 13th MindaComNet Congress is a very well
attended event. I believe your active participation will help different
government agencies come up with innovations and strategies that will promote
Mindanao and be known that it is worth-investing,” Dimaporo remarked.

The said official also acknowledged the efforts of
the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) as being one of the forefront agencies
in changing the image of Mindanao.

Dimaporo further emphasized that businessmen
always have that worries of taking risks as well as their security. “It’s only
a perception and it’s one of our duty to change that perception or mindset.
Don’t believe the negative news that you’ve been seeing in the television or
newspaper, or heard over the radio. Based on statistics, there are actually higher
number of crimes reported in Manila or in other parts of the country than in
Mindanao,” he said.

“It’s a matter of getting the attention of our
investors and showing them that there is nothing to be scared of because there
are lots of beautiful things to be seen and appreciated in our place here in
Mindanao,” added Dimaporo.

The good governor also reiterated that there is
more to come for Mindanao and its people.

“Come and take a chance in Mindanao. Look at the
proper investment opportunities,” underscored Dimaporo. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

Dengue cases in Caraga region down by 48%

By Daisy Jane M. Apit

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 19 (PIA) - Dengue cases in
Caraga region dropped by 48% from January 1 to October 24 this year with 3,540
cases and 25 deaths recorded compared with last year’s same time period with
6,827 cases and 44 deaths, the Department of Health (DOH) - Caraga reported.

Most of the cases were recorded in Surigao del Sur
at 704, followed by Butuan City with 676 cases, Agusan del Sur with 645 cases,
Surigao City with 341 cases, Agusan del Norte with 307 cases, Bayugan City with
262 cases, Surigao del Norte with 246 cases, Bislig City with 110 cases,
Cabadbaran City with 105 cases. Then, Tandag City with 73 and Dinagat Islands’
71 cases.

Of these cases, 54% were males and 38% belonged to
0 to 10 years age group according to records from the Regional Epidemiology
Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the DOH 13.

DOH-Caraga headed by Dr. Jose Llacuna emphasized
that the best way to eradicate this problem is by searching and destroying
mosquito breeding places and be updated to the dengue status of each barangay
in the locality. (DJA/PIA-Caraga)

Bislig City is the host for the said momentous
event that is created to highlight the importance of men's contributions not
only in the household but in the community where they live and their critical
roles and responsibilities to attain better health nutrition for mothers,
newborn and children.

Commission on Population (POPCOM) Caraga regional
director Alexander A. Makinano pointed-out that the event shall highlight not
only the various roles, contributions and achievements of men and husbands in
the family and in the community but also equal partners of women.

"This will definitely educate husbands on
gender relations, and promote gender equality which I hoped that through this
event, the increasing issue on Violence Against Women and Children will be
totally reduced," Makinano added.

He disclosed that LGU Bislig will be conducting
various activities by merging the central theme of the IMD celebration with
that of the advocacy of POPCOM as concretized in the Kalalakihang Tumutugon sa
Responsibilidad at Obligasyon sa Kalusugan ng Ina at Pamilya (KATROPA) Modules.

To recall, Caraga Regional Development Council
approved the call of the Regional Population Executive Board (RPEB) for the
declaration of November 19, 2014 and every year thereafter as International
Men's Day with the passage of RDC ExeCom Resolution No.6, series of 2014.

The date for the celebration is the same date
celebrated by many other countries which for a moment pause to give way and
honor for the men to celebrate and highlight their contributions towards the
attainment among others, of a healthy lifestyle and involvement in responsible
parenting. (POPCOM-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)

Surigao Norte town conducts responsible parenting
convergence

By John Glenn Platil

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Nov. 19 (PIA) –
The local government unit of Mainit, this province conducted on Wednesday,
November 18, 2015 a one-day convergence on responsible parenting cum mass
mobilization for responsible parenthood and family health.

The one-day activity aims to raise awareness on
responsible parenting, reproductive health law and maternal health.

Included in the discussion were the Reproductive
Health (RH) Law, safe sex methods for every consenting adult to avoid the
prevalence of AIDS, abortion, and other communicable diseases, innovative ways
and best practices like the use of condom, family planning, sex education,
child care, and maternal health.

The activity was led by mayor Ramon Mondano, vice
mayor Crisanta Mondano and participated by barangay health workers, municipal
and barangay officials and residents of the said municipality. (SDR/PGO-SdN/PIA-Surigao
del Norte)

NCAC conducts Consumer Awareness Seminar in AgSur

PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Nov. 19 (PIA) -
"Practice 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) of Ecological Solid Waste
Management for this is one of the ways the people should do to mitigate the
ill-effects of climate change."

This was the pledged of the consumers who
participated in the Consumer Education Seminar organized by the National
Consumer Affairs Council on October 23, 2015 in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur
in celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month.

Velma M. Lim of the National Consumer Affairs
Council (NCAC) emphasized that everyone has the right to a healthy environment,
thus everyone should also commit to care for the natural resources. In her
discussion on Climate Change Adaptation, she urged the participants to affix
their signatures on the Pledge of Commitment wall and work on it.

She mentioned that everyone can make a difference.
"Practice saving the electricity, plant trees, maximize the use of public
transport system, recycle as it helps save natural resources, generate as
little as trash as possible because trash in landfill sites emit large quantities
of methane, and if burned, carbon dioxide is released, reduce on the use of
non-renewable sources of energy and increase the use of renewable energy
sources such as solar, hydro, and wind energy, consume lest share more and live
simply," she said.

Representatives from the local government units in
the province, barangay officials, media groups, consumer organizations members
4P's beneficiaries, senior citizens, representatives from the national
government agencies and the academe attended the activity.

NCAC is the lead sponsor of the Consumer Welfare
Month Celebration this year with the theme: "Consumer Protection in the
ASEAN Economic Community."

The seminar was one of the activities conducted in
celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month. Other activities like Consumer Quiz
Bowl, Symposium to Secondary School, Question and Answer at the Flag Raising
Ceremony in the Provincial Government and KBP Hour, Briefing on Price Act were
also conducted to increase awareness on consumerism. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)